Free tool
Add the foods you eat in a day to see your sodium total in milligrams. Then compare it with the 2,300 mg Daily Value, or another reference, and see which foods add the most.
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Estimated daily total
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Package labels are the best way to compare brands. Sauces, seasonings and restaurant dishes often hold more sodium than the main food.
| Food | Meal | Amount | Sodium | Basis and source |
|---|
Food A
Food B
Sodium is a mineral found in salt and in many packaged and restaurant foods. Your body needs a small amount. Your total shows how one day of eating compares with a daily reference.
Your foods for this day add up to less than the reference you chose. Check a few different days, such as a workday and a weekend day. One day does not show your usual pattern.
You have plenty of company. The FDA says Americans eat about 3,400 mg of sodium a day on average. Your largest sources list shows where most of yours came from.
The FDA says more than 70% of the sodium people eat comes from packaged and prepared foods. The salt shaker adds much less. Labels are the best way to compare brands.
| Reference | Amount |
|---|---|
| Daily Value on U.S. food labels | Less than 2,300 mg a day |
| American Heart Association ideal limit for most adults | 1,500 mg a day |
| High for one serving (20% of the Daily Value or more) | 460 mg or more |
| Low for one serving (5% of the Daily Value or less) | 115 mg or less |
| “Low sodium” on a label | 140 mg or less per serving |
| “Reduced sodium” on a label | At least 25% less than the regular product |
Sources: FDA and the American Heart Association. Your health care professional may set a different goal for you.
| Food and amount | Sodium |
|---|---|
| Table salt1 tsp (6 g) | 2,325 mg |
| Soy sauce1 tbsp (16 g) | 879 mg |
| Chicken noodle soup, canned1 cup (248 g) | 831 mg |
| Pepperoni pizza, regular crust2 slices (133 g) | 785 mg |
| Ham, sliced2 oz (56.7 g) | 648 mg |
| American cheese slice1 slice (21 g) | 351 mg |
| Dill pickle1 small spear (35 g) | 283 mg |
| White bread or toast1 slice (29 g) | 142 mg |
| Chicken breast, no skin, roasted or grilled without saltSmall, 3 oz (85 g) | 63 mg |
| Apple1 medium apple (182 g) | 2 mg |
Amounts come from the same USDA data the calculator uses. Brands vary, so check the label when you have it.
The Daily Value on U.S. food labels is less than 2,300 mg a day. The American Heart Association calls 1,500 mg a day the ideal limit for most adults. Your health care professional may give you a different goal.
Not quite. Table salt is sodium chloride, and sodium is one part of it. The FDA says 2,300 mg of sodium is about 1 teaspoon of table salt.
On a U.S. food label, 20% of the Daily Value or more per serving is high. For sodium, that is 460 mg or more. A serving with 5% or less, 115 mg, is low.
The FDA lists deli meat sandwiches, pizza, burritos and tacos, soups, savory snacks, poultry, pasta dishes, burgers and egg dishes. Together they supply about 40% of the sodium Americans eat.
It takes the sodium in each food from USDA data and multiplies it by the amount you ate. Then it adds up your day. For a packaged food, you can type in the sodium from the Nutrition Facts label.
Restaurant, fast food, frozen, canned and mixed dishes vary by recipe and brand. The number is a typical value. When you have the package, enter the label for a closer number.
Your meal log, amounts and totals are not sent to us. They are saved on this device only if you turn on Remember my foods on this device.
Foods from our library: sodium (mg) = sodium in mg per 100 g × amount eaten in grams ÷ 100.
A package label: sodium (mg) = sodium per serving on the label × number of servings eaten.
Sauces, salt and sides: counted separately, and only when they are not already part of the food you chose. A battered and fried fish record already includes its coating.
Example only: a label lists 680 mg per serving and you eat 1.5 servings. 680 × 1.5 = 1,020 mg, about 44% of a 2,300 mg reference.
Food values come from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (SR28). Each result lists the USDA record number, so you can check it.
Food library version 2026.11-r1, built 2026-11-11.
Restaurant, fast food, frozen, canned and mixed dishes are marked “≈ Estimate” because recipes, brands and salt use vary. Single foods such as fish, chicken, pasta and rice are listed as cooked without salt, so you can add the salt, sauces and sides you actually used. When you have the package, entering the label values is the most accurate choice, and you can correct any number that way.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030, say people ages 14 and older should consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, with lower limits for younger children, and note that highly active people may benefit from more sodium to offset sweat losses. The American Heart Association calls 1,500 mg a day the ideal limit for most adults, especially those with high blood pressure.
For a single food, FDA label guidance treats 5% of the Daily Value or less of sodium per serving as low and 20% or more as high. It does not assess your whole diet.
To improve the tool, the page may count anonymous actions, such as which food card was used or when a summary was printed. Your meal log, amounts and totals are not sent to us.
This calculator gives estimates for education. It does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition, and it is not medical advice. The references are for adults. Food values are averages, and the foods you eat may differ. If you have a health condition or take medicine, ask your health care professional what sodium goal is right for you. Read our full medical disclaimer.
